> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.riiwards.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Customize the text messages customers receive > Edit the signup, reminder, confirmation and Flash Sale texts your Rewards Club sends, test them on your phone, and keep each message within billing limits. Rewards Club sends a set of automatic text messages to customers: the signup link, reminders, confirmations, reward expiration reminders and more. On **Customize SMS** you can rewrite each message in your own voice, preview it with real values, send a test to your phone, and reset it to the default. This page lists every message and the rules that keep texts deliverable and affordable. > [!NOTE] > > Customize SMS needs an active SMS subscription. Without one, the menu item is locked. See [Set up SMS](https://help.riiwards.com/sms/set-up-sms.md). In your dashboard, click **Customize SMS** in the left menu. The page is titled **Customize SMS Messages** and shows your SMS status. ![Customize SMS Messages page with rules, test SMS number and editable signup messages](https://mintcdn.com/riiwards/mTvES1xpwmIHjJTD/images/sms-default-messages.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=mTvES1xpwmIHjJTD\&q=85\&s=4f51fb3c7d8e1d8ff066f1e885f83d94) Customize SMS Messages with the IMPORTANT box, test number and the first signup messages ## Rules for every message The **IMPORTANT** box at the top lists the rules: * Keep variables such as `|name|`, `|widget_url|` and `|promo_code|`. They are filled in automatically. * Keep "Reply STOP to unsubscribe." in every message. * "Msg & data rates may apply." is standard SMS-program disclosure language. * Longer messages or special characters, including emojis, may count as more than one SMS. Common variables: * `|name|`: your SMS Business Name (set in [SMS settings](https://help.riiwards.com/sms/sms-settings.md)). * `|widget_url|`: the customer's personal signup link. * `|promo_code|`: the promo code of the reward. * `|email|`: the customer's email address. ## Set your test number Enter your mobile number in **Test SMS number** and click **Save**. The number must be subscribed to your Rewards Club (you can check on [Customers & Stats](https://help.riiwards.com/customers/customers-and-stats.md)). The easiest way is to join your own club by text first. ## Edit a message Each message has a numbered title, an info icon that explains when it is sent, a character counter, and four buttons. **1. Edit the text** Click in the message box and change the wording. Keep the required variables and the STOP line. **2. Check the counter** The counter shows the length, for example "133 / 160". If the message is longer than one text, it shows "Billed as 2 texts" or "Billed as 3 texts". **3. Preview** Click **Preview** to see the message with real values filled in. The preview shows the billed length. **4. Save and test** Click **Save**, then **Send Test SMS** to receive it on your test number. Click **Reset** to go back to the default text for that message. ## The messages ### SMS Signup Messages 1. **Signup Link**: the reply a customer gets right after texting your keyword. It contains their personal signup link. 2. **Reminder to Continue Signup**: sent if the customer did not complete the signup form. 3. **Email Verification Reminder**: sent if the customer completed the form but did not verify their email. It also offers a link to update the email if it was wrong. 4. **Update Email Address**: asks the customer to verify their email after they change or correct it. 5. **Signup Confirmed – Existing Profile**: confirms the signup when the customer already has a profile in your club. 6. **Already Signed Up**: sent when an existing member texts your keyword again. 7. **Incomplete Signup – Email Verification Needed**: sent when a customer who has not verified their email texts in again. 8. **Resubscription Confirmed**: confirms that a customer who had unsubscribed is subscribed again. ### Other Messages 9. **Reward Expiration Reminder**: reminds SMS subscribers that a reward is about to expire. 10. **HELP Reply**: the reply when a customer texts HELP. 11. **System Error Message**: sent if a customer's text could not be processed. 12. **Default SMS Blast Message**: the starting text for a new [Flash Sale](https://help.riiwards.com/marketing/flash-sales.md). The timing of reminders 2 and 3 is set in **Account Settings > SMS Settings > Signup Reminders Sent After**. See [SMS settings](https://help.riiwards.com/sms/sms-settings.md). ## Rules for billing Click **Rules for billing** for a summary of how length is counted: ![Rules for billing window explaining 160, 306 and 459 character limits and emoji counting](https://mintcdn.com/riiwards/mTvES1xpwmIHjJTD/images/modal-sms-billing-rules.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=mTvES1xpwmIHjJTD\&q=85\&s=75d021e3d4926f7c34d5c68dae86838b) Rules for billing * One text holds up to 160 standard characters (letters, numbers and basic punctuation). * A message can be up to 459 characters: up to 306 is billed as 2 texts, up to 459 as 3 texts. * An emoji or special character (such as curly quotes) changes how the whole message is counted: 70 characters is 1 text, 134 is 2 texts and 201 is 3 texts. * Only 1 emoji per message. * The length shown while editing is approximate, because variables like `|email|` are counted as written, not as the real email. **Preview** shows the billed length. ## Rules for Safe Texts Click **Rules for Safe Texts** to see the checks that keep texts safe and professional: * Don't put HTML, scripts or links that look like code in a message. * Profanity, slurs, adult wording, drug spam and scam phrases are blocked. * Messages are saved as plain text. * Don't remove required variables such as `|name|`. Every message must include "Reply STOP to unsubscribe." > [!TIP] > > Short messages are cheaper and easier to read. Use a short SMS Business Name, avoid emojis and curly quotes, and check **Preview** before saving. ## Related > [card] [SMS settings](https://help.riiwards.com/sms/sms-settings.md) > > SMS name, sending hours and reminder timing. > [card] [SMS billing](https://help.riiwards.com/sms/sms-billing.md) > > How texts count toward your SMS Plan. > [card] [Customer signup flow](https://help.riiwards.com/grow/customer-signup-experience.md) > > When each signup message is sent. > [card] [Flash sales](https://help.riiwards.com/marketing/flash-sales.md) > > Send a promotion by text. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.